Tag: ICU

Dexmedetomidine-Associated Hyperthermia

Dexmedetomidine-associated hyperthermia: a retrospective cohort study of intensive care unit admissions between 2009 and 2016. Dexmedetomidine-associated hyperthermia has not been previously studied. Analysis is warranted... read more

Knowledge of Constituent Ingredients in Enteral Nutrition Formulas Can Make a Difference in Patient Response to Enteral Feeding

The selection of an EF should be a conscientious process based on a number of factors, including the patient's clinical and medical status. The ingredients need to be carefully evaluated in their quality and quantity as they... read more

The Future of Mechanical Ventilation

The adverse effects of mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) arise from two main causes: unphysiological increases of transpulmonary pressure and unphysiological increases/decreases of pleural... read more

Optimizing Quality and Efficiency of Critical Care Delivery

Providing "health" care is expensive, and providing "sick" care is even more expensive. Here we will outline a newly packaged, high-yield opportunity for your institution regarding optimization of your critical care service... read more

Integration of Nurse Practitioners Into the Critical Care Team

As the demands of critical care medicine increase one viable option to meet needs is the addition of a nurse practitioner to the traditional structure of the critical care team. The purpose of this article is to convey our... read more

The Hidden Faces of Sepsis, What Do They Tell Us?

Based on the patients' perspective Nutma sheds light on the hidden faces of sepsis, calling for more expertise on sepsis sequelae. She also offers recommendations to improve recovery and outcome. Sepsis really caught me by... read more

Alleviating ICU Survivors’ Burden

In a review paper, a team of international researchers highlights how critical illness and critical care affect longer-term outcomes. According to the authors, the severity of acute illness determines the degree of impairment... read more

What Can Psychologists Do in Intensive Care?

As awareness has grown of the great distress intensive care patients may suffer, units have begun recruiting psychologists to their teams. Intensive care unit psychologists aim to assess and reduce distress for patients,... read more

Dietitians in Critical Care

Patients in the critical care setting are at risk of malnutrition. The provision of nutrition support (enteral or parenteral) to critically ill patients is vital, but achieving the optimum quantity and balance is a contentious... read more

Causes of Mortality in ICU-Acquired Weakness

Intensive care unit–acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is a common complication of critical illness and is associated with increased mortality, longer mechanical ventilation and longer hospital stay. Little is known about the causes... read more

Inpatient antiviral treatment reduces ICU admissions among influenza patients

Administering inpatient antiviral influenza treatment may reduce admissions to the ICU among adults hospitalized with flu, according to a study presented at ID Week 2017, an infectious diseases meeting. While interventions... read more

The Effect of ICU Out-of-Hours Admission on Mortality

Adjusted risk of death for ICU admission was greater over the weekends compared with weekdays. The absence of a dedicated intensivist on-site overnight may be associated with increased mortality for acute admissions. These... read more

Guiding Vascular Access Selection for Intensive Care

Determining appropriateness for vascular access devices limits the risk of complications in critically ill patients. Michigan Appropriateness Guide to Intravenous Catheters (MAGIC) establishes evidence-based indications as... read more

Dying at Home – Our Grandfather’s Great Escape

Our 94-year-old grandfather's last journey was not a glorious affair, an inelegant denouement to a life marked by global travel and migration. Still, to us, as we pushed his wheelchair out of the hospital lobby, it felt like... read more

Hypovitaminosis C and vitamin C deficiency in critically ill patients despite recommended enteral and parenteral intakes

Critically ill patients have low vitamin C concentrations despite receiving standard ICU nutrition. Septic shock patients have significantly depleted vitamin C levels compared with non-septic patients, likely resulting from... read more

Implementation of a Goal-Directed Mechanical Ventilation Order Set Improves Compliance

Implementation of a Goal-Directed Mechanical Ventilation Order Set Driven by Respiratory Therapists Improves Compliance With Best Practices for Mechanical Ventilation. Data regarding best practices for ventilator management... read more

High Morning Cortisol Tied to Long-term Anxiety in Family Members of ICU Patients

A new study published in the journal Critical Care Medicine finds that a biomarker may help identify which family members will be most emotionally impacted by their loved one's ICU stay. In particular, family members who... read more

Alarm Reductions Don’t Improve ICU Response Times

It will take more than a reduction in alarms to address the issue of alarm fatigue in the ICU; a change in the ICU staff culture is needed, suggests new research. A program run at Dr. Kunadu's hospital showed that cutting... read more

New Guidance for Medication Safety in the ICU

Critically ill patients are a population at high risk for more frequent and more severe medication-related events. Critically ill patients receive twice the number of medications that non-critically ill, hospitalized patients... read more

Reduction in Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections Correlated With the Introduction of a Novel Silver-Plated Dressing for Central Venous Catheters

Use of SDs is associated with a significant decrease in CLABSI rates in adult ICU patients compared to CHGIS dressings, with an estimated cost savings of US$4070 to US$39 600 per 1000 catheter days. A total of 3189 patient... read more

Effects of the I-PASS Nursing Handoff Bundle on Communication Quality and Workflow

Implementation of the I-PASS Nursing Handoff Bundle was associated with widespread improvements in the verbal handoff process without a negative impact on nursing workflow. Implementation of I-PASS for nurses may therefore... read more

Mountain Ultra-Marathon Finishers Exhibit Marked Immune Alterations Similar to Those of Severe Trauma Patients

Runners competing in mountain ultra-marathons (MUMs) are known to display features of marked inflammation due to muscle micro-trauma, oxidative stress, gastrointestinal dysfunction, or endotoxin translocation. Furthermore,... read more